WpCircle Privacy Policy

Last Updated: Jan 11, 2021

At WpCircle, we respect your privacy and are committed to protecting the personal data you share with us. This Privacy Policy explains how WpCircle (“we,” “us,” or “our”) collects, uses, discloses, and safeguards your information when you visit our website, use our mobile application, or engage with our specialized WordPress marketplace services (collectively, the “Platform”).

By accessing or using WpCircle, you agree to the practices described in this Privacy Policy. If you do not agree with any part of this policy, please do not use the Platform.

1. INFORMATION WE COLLECT

We collect information that you provide directly to us, as well as information automatically collected through your use of the Platform.

A. Information You Provide to Us

• Account Information: When you register as a Client or Professional, we collect your name, email address, password, and contact details.
• Profile Information: Professionals provide additional details including skills, portfolio items, work history, profile pictures, and hourly rates or project quotes.
• Financial Information: We collect payment-related information necessary to process transactions. This may include billing addresses and payment method details. Note that sensitive card data is processed by our secure third-party payment processors (e.g., Stripe, Razorpay) and is not stored directly on our servers.
• Project & Communication Data: We collect the contents of project postings, proposals, and all messages exchanged through the WpCircle Chat system.
• Identity Verification: To maintain marketplace trust, we may require Professionals to provide government-issued identification or business registration documents.

B. Information Collected Automatically

• Usage Data: We collect information about your interactions with the Platform, such as pages viewed, links clicked, and the time spent on specific sections.
• Device & Technical Data: We collect your IP address, browser type, operating system, and unique device identifiers to prevent fraud and optimize site performance.
• Cookies & Tracking: We use cookies, web beacons, and similar technologies to remember your preferences and provide a personalized experience.

2. HOW WE USE YOUR INFORMATION

We use the information we collect for the following purposes:

• To Provide Services: Managing your account, facilitating project postings, and processing Escrow payments.
• Marketplace Trust & Safety: Verifying identities, preventing fraudulent activity, and enforcing our Terms of Service.
• Communication: Sending project alerts, payment confirmations, support updates, and marketing communications (which you can opt out of at any time).
• Platform Improvement: Analyzing usage patterns to enhance our UI/UX, develop new features, and troubleshoot technical issues.
• Legal Compliance: Complying with tax obligations, regulatory requirements, and legal requests from authorities.

3. HOW YOUR INFORMATION IS SHARED

We do not sell your personal data. However, we share information in the following circumstances:

A. Between Users (Marketplace Interactions)

• Professional Profiles: Professional profiles, including names, ratings, and portfolios, are visible to all registered Clients to facilitate hiring.
• Project Details: Project descriptions posted by Clients are visible to Professionals so they can submit proposals.
• Active Collaborations: Once a contract is formed, the Client and Professional will see each other’s full platform names and any information shared within the Workspace.

B. Third-Party Service Providers

We share data with trusted vendors who perform services on our behalf, including:

• Payment processors for Escrow transactions.
• Cloud storage providers (e.g., AWS, Google Cloud) for hosting project files.
• Email service providers for platform notifications.
• Analytics providers to help us understand site traffic.

C. Legal and Safety Requirements

We may disclose information if required by law or in the good faith belief that such action is necessary to:

• Comply with a legal obligation or court order.
• Protect the rights, property, or safety of WpCircle, our users, or the public.
• Investigate potential violations of our Platform policies.

4. DATA SECURITY & STORAGE

A. Security Measures

WpCircle employs industry-standard administrative, technical, and physical security measures to protect your data. This includes SSL encryption for all data transmissions, firewall protections, and restricted access to sensitive information.

B. WordPress Credential Handling

We advise Clients to share WordPress site access only through secure, temporary means. WpCircle does not “screen” or store your external site passwords. Any credentials shared in the Chat are encrypted in transit but remain part of the project’s permanent message log for dispute resolution purposes.

C. Data Retention

We retain your personal data for as long as your account is active or as needed to provide you with services. We also retain data as necessary to comply with legal obligations, resolve disputes, and enforce our agreements.

5. YOUR DATA RIGHTS & CHOICES

Depending on your location (e.g., EU/GDPR or California/CCPA), you may have the following rights:

• Access & Portability: You can request a copy of the personal data we hold about you in a structured, machine-readable format.
• Correction: You have the right to update or correct inaccurate profile or account information at any time.
• Deletion: You may request that we delete your personal data. Please note that we may be legally required to retain certain information for tax, audit, or safety purposes.
• Object or Restrict Processing: You can object to the processing of your data for marketing purposes.
• Withdraw Consent: Where we rely on your consent to process data, you can withdraw it at any time.

To exercise any of these rights, please contact our Data Protection Officer at privacy@wpcircle.com.

6. PROJECT FILE PRIVACY

Files uploaded to the Project Files section of the Workspace are strictly private to the involved Client and Professional. WpCircle staff will only access these files in the event of a formal Dispute Resolution request or a reported violation of our Acceptable Use Policy.

Once a project is completed, the files remain accessible in your “Completed” project archive. We recommend that users maintain their own backups, as WpCircle is not a long-term file storage service.

7. THIRD-PARTY LINKS & INTEGRATIONS

Our Platform may contain links to third-party websites or services (such as WordPress plugin repositories or professional portfolios). We are not responsible for the privacy practices or content of these external sites. We encourage you to read the privacy policies of any third-party service you visit.

8. CHILDREN’S PRIVACY

WpCircle is intended for use by individuals 18 years of age and older. We do not knowingly collect personal information from children under 13. If we become aware that a child under 13 has provided us with personal data, we will take immediate steps to delete such information and close the account.

9. CHANGES TO THIS PRIVACY POLICY

We may update this Privacy Policy from time to time to reflect changes in our practices or for other operational, legal, or regulatory reasons. We will notify you of any significant changes by posting the new policy on this page and updating the “Last Updated” date. Your continued use of the Platform after such changes constitutes your acceptance of the updated policy.

10. CONTACT US

If you have any questions, concerns, or complaints about our privacy practices, please contact us at:

WpCircle Privacy Team Email: privacy@wpcircle.com

By using WpCircle, you acknowledge that you have read and understood this Privacy Policy.